Car-coupling.



M. LARKINS.

CAR COUPLING.

APPLICATION FILED JULY 13. 1918.

Patented Apr. 22, 1919.

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WITNESSES ATTO R N EY IVI. LARKINS.

CAR COUPLING.

APPLICATlON FILED JULY 13. 1918.

'l 3O 1 28 1 a Patented Apr. 22, 1919.

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Y Ill ATTO R N EY FFT MICHAEL LARKINS, OF SOUTH BETHLEHEM, PENNSYLVANIA.

CAR-COUPLING.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented'Apr. 22, 1919.

Application filed July 13, 1918. Serial No. 244,761.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, MICHAEL LARKINS, a citizen of the United States, residing at South Bethlehennin the county of Northampton and State of Pennsylvania, have invented a new and useful Car-Coupling, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates generally to car couplings, and particularly to couplings of the twin-jaw type employing a vertically movable locking pin.

The principal object of this invention is to provide a car coupling which will save time and labor and lessen the dangers commonly attendant upon the coupling and uncoupling of railroad cars.

Further objects are to provide a coupling of improved construction, one which will havelong life, which is readily assembled and disassembled and which may be manufactured at a reasonable cost.

The present invention comprises a coupling ofthe indicated type whose sliding pin may be raised andheld out of the path of the swinging knuckle, said pin when raised operating to bring into action certain means to automatically throw open. the knuckle.

The invention further comprises a coupling whose knuckle may be opened and closed independently of-the knuckle opening means; and furthermore a knuckle which as it opens and closes operates a holding latch for the sliding pin.

Referring to the accompanying draw- 1ngs- Figure 1 is a perspective view of a car coupling made in accordance with the present invention, showing the knuckle open.

Fig. 2 is a vertical transverse section, the knuckle being omitted, showing the pin and latch in full lines in the positions assumed when the knuckle is closed, and in dotted lines with the pin raised and the latch in engagement with the pin.

Fig. 3 is a vertical longitudinal section on the line 3 3 of Fig. 5 with the knuckle indicated by dotted lines;

Fig. 4 is a view similar to Fig. 3, the section being taken on the line H of Fig. 5;

Fig. 5 is a horizontal sectional view showing the knuckle in closed or lpcked position; I

Fig. 6 is a view similar to Fig. 5 but showing the knuckle in open position and certain other parts in dotted lines;

Fig. 7 is adetail knuckle detached;

Fig. 8 is a detail sliding pin;

Fig. 9 is a detail latch for the pin;

Fig. 10 is a detail view of the pivoted lever which throws the knuckle open;

Fig. 11 is a detail perspective view of the resilient latch for the lever shown in Fig. 10.

Referring to the drawings in detail, the letter W designates the draw bar, X the draw head, Y the knuckle and Z the sliding pin of the car coupling. These are the main parts of the coupling.

The draw bar W is preferably hollow and is integral with the head X. I

The head X is hollow and is provided at one side with pintle ears 10 which are designed to receive the pivot pin 14. The latter pivotally connects the knuckle Y to the head as Fig. 1 shows. The sliding pin Z which forms the lock for the knuckle, is mounted within the hollow head in manner to permit only vertical longitudinal motion, being retained against side movement. This is effected by a peculiar construction of the head which will now be described.

Arising from the upper wall 15 of the head and surrounding the opening 16 for the pin, is a guideway or socket 17 which is substantially rectangular in plan and comprises four walls,all integral with the head. This guideway or socket constitutes an elevated support for the head of the pin. One of the walls, marked 20, is'cut away and pro vided with an opening 21 through which a latch 22 for the sliding pin enters as Fig. 2 illustrates. The pin Z is guided by the four walls ofthe socket, and also on one side by the innerpartition, wall or web 23 of the head, said inner wall or web being in vertical alinement with the wall of the socket opposite wall 20 and extending from top to bottom of the draw head.

Extending from the web or wall 23. and depending from the top wall 15, as Fig. 5 shows, are flanges 23? and 23 which are vertical and parallel to each other. The outer flange 23* is wider than inner flange 23, which latter has a width only about half that of the sliding pin, and the outer flange 23 is continued into the flange 23 at right angles to itself. These three flanges nearly encircle the locking pin, and provide with the socket and the web above mentioned a perspective view of the perspective view of the perspective view of the dependable guiding means for the pin. The flanges, web and head are all cast in one piece. As Fig. 1 indicates, these flanges depend from the top of the head to apoint above the path of movement of the knuckle so as not to interfere with the same. The flanges and web 23 depend below the top of the head a distance substantially equal to the distance the walls of the socket extend above the top of the head.

In order to receive the latch 22 the knuckle locking pin Z is formed with a wedge shaped slot or recess 24 forming a locking shoulder. At its upper end a crown or head 25 is provided, which crown is surmounted by a.

ring or eye 26. To the latter a lifting chain or other means (not shown) is ordinarily attached, by which the pin is raised to effect the uncoupling of the cars. The crown 25 acts as a stop for the pin, when the latter is lowered to locking position and then rests upon the upper edges of the walls of the socket 17. From one corner at the lower end of the pin Z a horn or trip 27 projects. This horn or trip 27 is adapted to actuate the kicker or opening means for the knuckle, as will be described later, and besides acts as a stop to prevent the pin from being withdrawn from the head.

The latch for the pin is shown detached in Fig. 9, and comprises the latch piece 28, the pivot shaft 29, and the eye 30, the pivot shaft being near the lower end of the latch and the eye near the upperend. To secure the pivot shaft within the latching piece 28 a set screw 31 or equivalent means may be provided. The latching piece 28 has its upper end beveled to fit in the wedge-shaped recess 24 formed in the pin. As Figs. 3 and 4 best show the pivot shaft 29 is held at one end within a hole 33 provided in the head, while the other end is held by a bearing 34 which is integral with and depends from the upper wall 15 of the head. The pivot shaft is thereby maintained in a horizontal position free to turn on its own axis. At the outer end near the knuckle the latch pivot shaft is provided with a crank 35 formed by bending that end of the shaft at right angles. This crank engages the knuckle, in a manner which will be made clear later, and thus enables the knuckle to control the movements of the latch. In the upper wall 15 of the head a latch opening 36 is provided which permits-movement of the latch on its pivot. The opening 36 merges into or is continuous with the opening 21in wall 20. The latch is pivoted to rock in a Vertical plane and hence engages the pin under force of gravity.

The knuckle Y is outwardly of conventional form, having the reduced portion 37 with a bore 38 for receiving the pivot bolt or pin 14. A tail piece 39 of peculiar design is formed integrally with the knuckle.

The tail piece includes a lateral abutment face 40 whichis provided with a projecting f nose 41. When the knuckle locking pin is in lowered position, it rests against the lateral abutment face 40, thus preventing outward movement of the knuckle; the nose 41 contrariwise prevents further inward movement of the knuckle. Thus the latter is held in a more or less rigid manner with little.

tendency to rattle. I

The upper face of the tail piece 39 constitutes a stop or rest table for the sliding pin when it descends after it is released by the latch. This rest or table sustains the pin when released from the latch and holds the pin from looking the knuckle duringthe lVith the lower end of the sliding pin resting on this table, as shown in Fig. 1,'1t is clear that upon inward movement of the knuckle, the pin will eventually lose its support and will fall to its lower position, thereby locking the knuckle again.

A recess 43 is made b two upstanding lugs 44 which rise from t e tail piece adj acent the pivot' connection of the knuckle, and is provided for the express purpose of engaging the crank 35 of the latch pivot. The crank lies between these lugs and as the knuckle opens and closes, it turns the crank first in one direction and then in the other. The lugs perform the function of a cam in acting upon the crank. When the knuckle opens the crank is turned so that the latch for the sliding pin swings away from the same, as shown in Fig. 1, thus allowing the pinto descend by gravity until'itrests on the table of the tailpiece. As long as the knuckle remains open, the latch is held away from the pin and cannot be forced to locking position. When the knuckle closes,

the latch is thrown against the side of the the pin is raised-again, the latch is in posi-' tion to engage it and will hold it as long as the knuckle remains in closed position. The opening movement of the knuckle releases the latch and causes the pin to drop and rest upon the tail piece of the knuckle, and-while the knuckle is closed, its connection with the latch keeps the latter in proper position for performing its latching function.

The kicker which has been mentioned above is designed as ameans to throw'open the knuckle automatically when the pin Z is raised to a certain position. This kicker or opening means being operated only by the pin Z, and the latter being moved by a pull on a chain attached to the eye 26, it follows that the present invention provides a coupling which does not necessitate going beopening movement of the knuckle and tween the cars in order to function. All that is necessary to make the coupling ready for coupling operation is to pull on the chain until the pin actuates the kicker which opens the knuckle. Then the cars are pushed together and couple automatically.

The kicker or knuckle opening means comprises essentially a spring actuated lever 45, illustrated in Fig. 10, and a resilient trip or latch 46 for the same shown in Fig. 11. The lever is actuated by a powerful coiled spring 47 contained in a removable housing 48 set in one side of the head X. The spring 47 is removably attached to both its housing 48 and the lever 45. The latter is pivoted at its outer end at 49, and hence is free to swing toward and away from the inner wall of the head. The unlatched position of the lever is shown in Fig. 6, while Figs. 2, 4 and 5 illus trate the kicking lever in its latched position.

The resilient trip or latch 46 as shown is substantially V-shaped, having one straight arm 50 which works vertically in two slides 51 detachably secured to the inner wall of the head near the inner end of lever 45. The other arm 5-2 is bent so as to lie in two planes, the portion 53 extending out from the straight arm 50 at an angle of about 45, while the portion 54 lies in a horizontal plane and is perpendicular to the arm 50. The part 54 lies in the path of the horn or trip 27. The horn or trip on the sliding pin Z when it moves up far enough engages part 54 of the latch 46 and moves the latter upwardly, whereupon the kicking lever 45 is released and throws the knuckle open. Conversely, when the knuckle is closed by the force due to two cars coming together, it pushes the kicking lever back against the wall ofthe head, when the spring 47 will lie whollywithin its housing 48 and the resilient latch 46 will drop over the lever end and hold it in place, which will relieve all pressure on the locking pin Z. The nut 50 on the upper end of arm 50 serves as a stop to hold the arm from dropping too far. The eye 80 which is provided on the latch 28 for the pin is designed to serve as ahandle by which the latch can be moved out of engagement with the pin. It often occurs that when cars stand for some time on a side track the couplers are tampered with, as by raising the locking pin. WVhen this condition exists and ordinary couplers are used the locomotive must start the cars forwardly and backwardly before the cars can be coupled. But by using the present invention all one needs to do is such a. case is to pull the latch by means of the eye 30, whereupon the pin will fall and lock the coupler. This feature of my invention is a distinct advantage.

The operation and merits of the above-clescribed coupler should now be clear. When a car is to be connected to a train, the coutilt pler is held open by the kicker with the locking pin resting on the tail piece of the knuckle, and the train is backed to the car to be coupled. When the caris to be disconnected, all the trainman does is to pull the pin up until the kicker throws the knuckle open and gives the signal to pull the train forwardly. The car will then be uncoupled. By using this invention, the trainman does not risk his life or limb. Using my invention lessens the danger of railroading and saves time and trouble. The coupler is strongly and durably made, cannot become jammed or get out of order, and is readily taken apart and put together again.

This application is a continuation in part of my co-pending application filed June 30, 1917, Serial Number 177,943.

This invention has been described in considerable detail. However, I desire it understood that I do not wish to be confined to a strict conformity with the above description, nor to the accompanying drawing which is more or less diagrammatic. I desire to make many changes in the structure of my invention and intend to modify the same at will, with the distinct understanding that all such changes and modifications are covered by the appended claims.

What is claimed is 1. In a car coupling, the combination with a draw head, of a manually operable vertically movable locking pin having a horn at its lower end serving as a stop to limit the upward movement of the pin, a swinging knuckle, a latch for locking said pin in its raised position, said latch being located on the same side of the pin as the knuckle and engaging with a shoulder on the pin above the lower end thereof, connecting means between the knuckle and the latch to control the latter by the opening and closing of the knuckle, and a tail piece provided on the knuckle and located at that side of said means which is remote from the pivot of the knuckle and forming a rest or table to sus tain the pin when released from the latch and hold the pin from locking the knuckle during the remainder of its opening movement and throughout the closing movement until completely closed.

2. In a car coupling, the combination with a draw head, of a manually operable vertically movable locking pin, a swinging knuckle, a pivoted latch for locking said pin in its raised position, said latch being located on the same side of the pin as the knuckle and engaging with a shoulder on the pin above the lower end thereof, coact ing means provided on the knuckle and latch respectively for positively swinging the latch to its open or closed positions by the opening or closing of the knuckle, said latch being held by said means away from the pin when the knuckle is open and in contact with the pin -upon the closing of the knuckle, the opening of the knuckle causing the pin to drop, and a tail piece provided on the knuckle and located at one side of said means and forming a rest or table to sustain the pin when released from the latch and hold the pin from locking the knuckle during the remainder of its opening movement and throughout the closing movement until completely closed.

3. In a car coupling, the combination with a draw head, of a manually operable vertically movable locking pin, a swinging knuckle, a swinging latch for locking said pin in its raised position, said latch being located on the same side of the pin as the knuckle and engaging with the pin above its lower end, a cam on the knuckle and a crank on the latch coacting with the cam for causing the movement of the latch into its open or closed positions by the opening or closing of the knuckle, the opening of the knuckle causing the pin to drop, and a tail piece provided on the knuckle and located at that side of said cam which is remote from the pivot of the knuckle and forming a rest or table to sustain the pin when released from the latch and hold the pin from locking the knuckle during the remainder of its opening movement and throughout the closing movement until completel closed.

4. 1 a car coupling, the combination with a draw head, of a manually operable vertically movable locking pin, a swinging knuckle, a swinging latch for locking said pin in its raised position, a pivot shaft for the latch having a crank at one end, spaced lugs on the knuckle in engagement with the crank for swinging the latch to its open or closed positions by the opening or closing of the knuckle, the opening of the knuckle causing the pin to drop, and a tail piece provided on the knuckle and locatedat one side of said lugs and forming a rest or table to sustain the pin when released from the latch and hold the pin from looking the knuckle during the remainder of its opening movement and throughout the closing movement until completely closed.

5. In a car coupling, the combination with a draw head, of a vertically movable locking pin having a locking shoulder, a swinging knuckle, a vertically-disposed latch pivoted at its lower end to the draw head and having its upper end adapted to engage with the locking shoulder of the pin when the latter is raised, and a connection betweenthe lower end of the latch and the knuckle whereby the movement of the knuckle controls the latch. v

6. In a car coupling, the combination with a draw head, of a manually operated vertically movable locking pin, a swinging knuckle, a latch pivoted on an arm for locking the pin in its raised position, upstanding lugs provided on the knuckle and engaging the pivot arm of the latch, said latch being located on the same side of the pin as the knuckle and being automatically brought into and out of latching engagement by the swinging movement of the knuckle, and a tail piece provided on the knuckle and located within the draw head, said tail-piece providing a table to sustain the pin when released from the latch and to hold the pin from locking the knuckle until the latter is completely closed.

7. In a car coupling, a draw head having a walled opening in its top to form a pinreceiving socket or guideway, the wall being extended above and below the top of the draw head, the wall on one side being discontinued a short distance below the top of the draw head and being extended on the other side downwardly within the draw head to the bottom thereof, a locking pin vertically slidable in the guideway, a latch pivoted in the draw head, said guideway having a cut-away portion in one wall to admit said latch, said latch being engageable with the locking pin when the latter is raised, a pivot arm for said latch, a crank at one end of said arm, a knuckle pivoted to the draw head and having a tail piece, said tail piece engaging with the locking pin when the knuckle is closed and thereby holding the knuckle in position, and means formed on said knuckle and engaging with the crank of the latch whereby the knuckle (ontrols the opening and closing of the latch.

S. In a car coupling, a head having a walled socket in its top to form a guideway, said guideway being extended both above and below the top of the head and having'a cut-away portion on one side, a locking pin verticall slidable in the guideway, a latch pivoted in the head and engageable through said cut-away portion with the locking pin when the latter is raised, a pivot arm for said latch having a crank at one end, a

knuckle pivoted to the head and having a tail piece extending Within the same, said tail piece engaging the locking pin'when the knuckle is closed and the locking pin is in lowered position, said pin under such conditions acting as a lock for the knuckle and being held in turn by the tail piece, a kicker for the knuckle, a latch for the kicker, a horn on the lower end of the pin and engageable with the kicker latch when the pin is raised to release the kicker, and a flat face formed on the tail piece to provide a rest for the pin when released from the pin latch to hold the pin out of locking position except when the knuckle is closed.

9. In a car coupling employing a vertically movable locking pin and a pivoted knuckle, the draw head provided with an opening in its" top for the passage of the locking'pin, walls formed around the opening and rising from the top of the draw head and constituting an elevated support for the head of said pin, a vertical web arranged within the draw head in alinement with one of the walls surrounding said opening and extending from top to bottom of the draw head, said web guiding one side of said pin, and substantially vertical flanges extending out from the web on opposite sides of the pin and depending from the inner face or" the top of the draw head to a point above the path of movement of the knuckle, said walls, flanges and web being formed integral with the draw head.

10. In a car coupling, a draw head, a vertically movable locking pin, a pivoted knuckle, and a guideway for said pin, the guideway comprising a vertical web arranged within the draw head and extending from top to bottom thereof, substantially vertical flanges extendingout from the web and in conjunction therewith substantially surrounding the pin, said flanges also de pending from the top of the draw head to a point above the path of movement 01": the knuckle, and a rectangular opening in the top of the draw head for the pin, said opening being surrounded by four walls, which respectively form continuations I of said flanges and web, the walls, flanges and web being integral with the draw head.

11. In a car coupling, the combination with a draw head, of a vertically movable locking pin, a swinging lmuckle, means for opening said knuckle, a latch pivoted to the draw head and adapted to engage the pin when the latter is raised, said latch being arranged on the same side of the latter as the knuckle and projecting within the head, and a trip carried by the lower end of the pin and adapted to release said opening means, said trip also serving as a stop to limit the upward movement of the pin.

12. In a car coupling, the combination with a head, of a knuckle pivoted to the head at one side thereof, means for opening said knuckle, a latch for retaining said opening means in inactive position, a locking pin vertically slidable in the draw head, a latch pivoted in the head at one side of the looking pin and engageable with the pin when raised to sustain the pin in its raised position, means provided on the knuckle to actuate the latch for the pin, a tail piece on the knuckle, said tail piece forming a rest for the locking pin when released from the latch to hold the pin during the opening and closing of the knuckle, and a horn on the lower end of the locking pin and engageable with the latch for the opening means upon upward movement of said pin to trip said latch and release said opening means.

13. In a car coupling, a draw head, a knuckle, a vertically movable knuckle looking pin slidable in the draw head, a kicker, a latch for the kicker, and means formed on the pin for tripping said latch by the vertical movement of the pin.

14. In a car coupling, a draw head, a knuckle, a pin slidable in the draw head for locking said knuckle, a kicker, a latch for gageable with one end of the latch, whereby the latter is lifted to release the kicker.

16. In a car coupling, a draw head, a knuckle, a pin slidable in the draw head for locking said knuckle, a kicker, a resilient substantially V-shaped latch for the kicker, one arm of said latch being slidable vertically in guides provided on the draw head, the other arm of said latch extending out wardly, and means formed on the lower end of the pin to engage the outer end of said other latch arm whereby the latch may be moved vertically to release the kicker.

In a car coupling, a draw head, a knucklepivoted to the draw head, a pin for locking the knuckle, and a kicker for the knuckle, said kicker including a knuckle striking lever, a coiled spring secured at one end to said lever, and a detachable housing 1for Said spring secured to a wall of the draw iea 18. In a car coupling, a draw head, a knuckle pivoted to the draw head, a pin for locking the knuckle, said pin being vertically slidable in said head and carrying a hornprojecting from its lower end, a kicker for the knuckle, said kicker including a lever pivoted at its outer end, a spring normally pressing said lever outwardly, and a latch engaging the lever at its inner end, the locking pin being adapted to contact with said latch by means of its horn.

19. In a car coupling, a draw head, a knuckle pivoted to the draw head, a pin for locking the knuckle, a kicker to throw open the knuckle, said kicker including a knuckle engaging lever, a coiled spring secured to said lever intermediate its ends, and a housing for the spring secured in the head, and a latch for said kicker, said latch including a straight arm slidable in guides attached to the head, a resilient arm extending outwardly from the straight arm at an acute angle thereto, and a horizontal portion provided at the end of said resilient arm, said locking pin having means for engaging the horizontal portion of said latch when raised.

20. In a car coupling, a draw head, a knuckle pivoted to the draw head, a vertically sliding knuckle locking pin recelved in the draw head, said knuckle having an integral tail piece, said tail piece forming a rest for said pin eXcept when the knuckle is closed, the sliding pin dropping beside the tail piece when the knuckle closes and thereby locking the same, and a kicker for throwing open the knuckle, said kicker engaging the inner face of the tail piece, and being thrown into operation by the Vertical movement of the pin.

21. In" a car coupling, a draw head, a knuckle pivoted to the draw head, a locking pin-slidable in the draw head, a kicker within the draw head, a latch pivoted to the draw head for said pin, means formed on the knuckle and engaging with means carried by the latch whereby the latch is actuated by movements of the knuckle, and means formed on the pin whereby the kicker is released when the pin is lifted.

'In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own, I have hereto affixed my signature in the presence of two witnesses.

MICHAEL LARKINS.

Witnesses:

MAHLON BITTER, M CHAEL MORGAN.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents. Washington, 'D. 0. 

